Int J Adv Life Sci Res. Volume 1(4)13- 30 doi: 10.31632/ijalsr.2018v01i04.003 International Journal of Advancement in Life Sciences Research Online ISSN: 2581-4877 journal homepage http://ijalsr.org Original Article A Taxonomic Account of Hover Flies (Insecta: Diptera: Syrphidae) with 4 New Records from Cold Dry Zones of Himachal Pradesh, India. Jayita Sengupta1*, Atanu Naskar1, Aniruddha Maity2, Sumit Homechaudhuri3, Dhriti Banerjee4 1Senior Zoological Assistant, Diptera Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India 2Senior Research Fellow, Diptera Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India. 3Professor, Department of Zoology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India. 4Scientist-D, Diptera Section, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India. Correspondence E-mail : [email protected]*; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected], [email protected]. Abstract Eighteen (18) species of hover flies (Insecta:Diptera:Syrphidae) under 14 genera and 2 subfamilies has been reported from the Cold dry zone of Himachal Pradesh which includes Kinnaur, Lahul & Spiti and Pangi range of Chamba districs. 4 species namely Chrysotoxum violaceum Brunetti, 1923, Sphiximorpha triangulifera (Brunetti, 1913),Mallota (Mallota) orientalis (Wiedemann, 1824), Mallota (Mallota) varicolor(Walker, 1856) has been reported from the first time from this cold and dry zone zone as well as from the state of Himachal Pradesh. Their taxonomic keys and detail diagnosis of the reported species has been discussed along with the distributional pattern of these species along the cold dry zone of Himachal Pradesh. Keywords: Taxonomy, Hover flies, Syrphidae, New Record, cold dry zone, Himachal Pradesh. Introduction The flies of family Syrphidae (Insecta: Diptera: and abdomen. Many of this pollinator flies are Brachycera) is commonly known as Hover flies excellent mimics of aculeate hymenoptera. or flower flies. Hover flies are distributed Syrphidae is one of the most common high worldwide largely with 6,000 known species altitude insect (Mani, 1968). Syrphis flies act placed in more than 300 distinctive group. as predominant pollinator especially at an (Pape & Thomson, 2018).Almost all adult elevational range of 1500 meter and above syrphids visit flower for pollen and nectar while whereas bees and beetles decreased rapidly larval stages exhibited a very diverse array of in such elevational range. Because climate feeding modes with complex morphological change is expected to strongly affect the and behavioural adaptations. Hoverflies are mountain eco systems, it has become urgent usually variable in body size ranging from to develop a better knowledge of the small to large, slender to robust in shape and pollinators involved in pollination in such eco size. The main identifying features lies in the system. Our present study area thus presence of spurious vein or false vein expanding through an elevational range of between the 3rd and 4th vein of the wing. from 2,200 mt (7,218 feet) to the highest point Syrphid flies cabn also be distinguished by of greater Himalaya in this state of Himachal yellow and orange markings on head, thorax 13 Sengupta et al. Int J Adv Life Sci Res. Volume 1(4)13-30 Pradesh. This zone is more commonly known Satluj, Beas and Spiti. The cold desert of Spiti as the Cold & Dry Zone. valley is situated in this Zone. Geographically this zone of Himachal Pradesh is very close to Phytophagous flower flies are very important Tibet and Chaina border. Zanskar range on group of insects because of their two fold the eastern side of this zone separates services to the ecosystem. Larvae are Kinnaur and parts of Lahul & Spiti from Tibet. important natural enemies of herbivorous Normal rainfall is remarkably low in this zone arthropod while adults play dominant role in (50-100 mm) but snow fall is very heavy pollination (Tooker et. al., 2006, Ghahari et resulting in the formation of cold dry zone in al.2008). Their importance as predator is equal this upper elevation area. to that of parasitoid, lady bird beetles, pathogenic fungi. (Ankersmit et al.1986). Pollination and biological control are one of the 1A most important ecosystem service rendered by insects to human being. (Potts et al., 2006). Any loss in biodiversity is a matter of public concern but losses of pollinators are troubling because it will potentially affect the reproduction status of food crops and other plants of agricultural, medicinal importance. Thereby loss of pollinators rise a question while considering our future food security. Therefore taxonomic studies of this pollinators for proper identification is quite necessary. In the present study a brief synopsis on the taxonomy of the family is given along with its distributional pattern in the cold dry zone of Himachal Pradesh. Materials and Methods A. Study area: According to the Department of Agriculture, 1B Himachal Pradesh the agro climatic condition has divided the whole state of Himachal Pradesh into 4 zones namely Shivalik hill zones, mid hill zones, high hill zone and cold and dry zone. Our present work is associated with the study areas from cold and dry zone of Himachal Pradesh. Our current study area includes the whole of Kinnaur, Lahul & Spiti and Pangi range of Chamba districts. Elevation of this zone ranges in approximately from 2,200 mt (7,218 feet) to the highest point of greater Himalaya in this state. This zone comprises about 8% of total geographical area of the State and 2% of the total cultivated area of the total state. The very low temperature range and more less rainfall has reduced the percentile of agricultural contribution from this agro climatic zone of Himachal Pradesh. Figure 1A-1B: 3D Map showing 1A: State of Along the eastern boundary of this zone, rivers Himachal Pradesh, 1B: Agro climatic zonation are abundant, main rivers of this range are from the state of Himachal Pradesh. 14 Sengupta et al. Int J Adv Life Sci Res. Volume 1(4)13-30 B. Collection method: Vockeroth (1992) and Brunetti (1923) keeping in mind the recent nomenclatural changes For the purpose of collection of hover flies, a 2 (Pape and Thompson, 2018.Same has been year long survey (2017-2018) has been used to construct taxonomic keys. All conducted in this cold dry zone of Himachal terminology while describing morphology has Pradesh. Hoverflies were collected from the followed the recent pattern (McAlpine et al. field during day time by using insect sweep 1987).All the identified specimens were nets, different type of traps like malaise trap, deposited in the designated repository of pan trap and UV light traps were used for National Zoological Collection, Diptera section, collecting syrphid fauna. The collected Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata. samples are narcotized by using ethyl acetate and stored for further study in insect D. Technical procedure: envelopes in the field. The specimens were The 3D map of study area used here is later carried back to the laboratory, mounted generated by using ARC GIS software version on insect pins, labelled using the collection site 10.1. The photograph of habitus were taken information and stored in insect cabinets for by using Leica Microscope M205A, where further identification. 0.32x Acro lense was used for habitus photography. C. Identification of specimens: Identification of the adults was done by following the keys of Miranda (2013), Figure 2: 3D Map showing species richness from Cold and Dry zone from the state of Himachal Pradesh. 15 Sengupta et al. Int J Adv Life Sci Res. Volume 1(4)13-30 Results 6. Chrysotoxum violaceum Brunetti, 1923** Altogether 18 species of hoverflies under 14 genera and 2 sub families have been reported Tribe Bacchini from our study area. Among which 4 species VI. Genus Melanostoma Schiner, 1860 namely Chrysotoxum violaceum Brunetti, 1923, Sphiximorpha triangulifera (Brunetti, 7. Melanostoma orientale 1913), Mallota (Mallota) orientalis (Wiedemann, 1824) (Wiedemann, 1824), Mallota (Mallota) Tribe Paragini varicolor (Walker, 1856) has been reported from the first time from this cold and dry zone VII. Genus Paragus Latreille, 1804 as well as from the state of Himachal Pradesh. Subgenus Paragus Latreille, 1804 Detailed systematic account along with taxonomic key has been discussed. 8. Paragus (Paragus) bicolor Distribution pattern of all syrphid species has (Fabricius, 1794) been discussed in detail. Subfamily Eristalinae List of Taxa Tribe Volucellini Family Syrphidae (New Records from the VIII. Genus Volucella Geoffroy, 1762 state of Himachal Pradesh has been 9. Volucella ruficauda Brunetti, 1907 demarcated with asterisk) Subfamily Syrphinae IX. Genus Sphiximorpha Rondani, 1850 Tribe Syrphini 10. Sphiximorpha triangulifera (Brunetti, 1913)** I. Genus Episyrphus Matsumura & Adachi, 1917 Tribe Eristalini Subgenus Episyrphus Matsumura & X. Genus Eristalinus Rondani, 1845 Adachi, 1917 Subgenus Eristalodes Mik, 1897 1. Episyrphus (Episyrphus) balteatus 11. Eristalinus (Eristalodes) paria (De Geer, 1776) (Bigot, 1880) II. Genus Scaeva Fabricius, 1805 XI. Genus Eristalis Latreille, 1804 2. Scaeva latimaculata (Brunetti, Subgenus Eoseristalis Kanervo, 1938 1923) 12. Eristalis (Eoseristalis) cerealis 3. Scaeva pyrastri (Linnaeus, 1758)** Fabricius, 1805 III. Genus Sphaerophoria Lepeletier & 13. Eristalis (Eoseristalis) Serville, 1828 himalayensis Brunetti, 1908 Subgenus Sphaerophoria Wiedemann, Subgenus Eristalis Latreille, 1804 1830 14. Eristalis (Eristalis) tenax 4. Sphaerophoria (Linnaeus, 1758) (Sphaerophoriascripta)